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Why I'm Close to Giving Up on Windows Phone 7, as a User and a Developer

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61–70 of 85 posts

Re: Why I'm Close to Giving Up on Windows Phone 7, as a User and a Developer

#62

Why are you only close to giving up? Is this windows phone thing a significant platform? http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2010/12/07/microsoft-doesnt-expe... Mossberg asked: “So.. how long before you’re back into the market… back up to a good marketshare, up there with Android and Apple?” “I don’t know..” “Couple months?” “Longer than that.” “Couple years?” “Maybe.” Isn't it time to stop developing for OS/2?

That sounds realistic for a nascent platform. Even a super awesome OS will take time to displace the incumbents. You're disappointed that you didn't get BS marketing speak that it would defeat Apple and Google in 2 weeks or what?

> You're disappointed that you didn't get BS marketing speak that it would defeat Apple and Google in 2 weeks

http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/10/microsoft-celebrates-wind...

I'll just leave that there ;)

Re: Why I'm Close to Giving Up on Windows Phone 7, as a User and a Developer

#63
post #31

I even started working on iPhone apps. I really hate Mac OSX, Objective-C, and XCode. But I had to go with the market. Stopped reading here.

Why?

I don't understand why a web developer would have to go and develop applications for mobile platform when (s)he doesn't enjoy it. If I had to work with in an OS that I hate, with developer tools that I hate in a programing language that I hate I would rather change jobs.

Re: Why I'm Close to Giving Up on Windows Phone 7, as a User and a Developer

#64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And replace their HTML rendering engine with webkit.

Why? They're already close to having IE9 on the phone.

This IE9?

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2326048

edit: I predict severe downvoting once people start arriving at their offices in Redmond...

Re: Why I'm Close to Giving Up on Windows Phone 7, as a User and a Developer

#65
post #18

Is it any better with Android? Here's a list of issues: -- Android resets your phone to factory settings without asking you or even giving a warning if you port a number to it. This deserves a class-action lawsuit. See here: http://androidforums.com/droid-x-support-troubleshooting/131... -- Using the built in email application, sent emails often stuck in the outbox. See here: http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/and…

[deleted]

Re: Why I'm Close to Giving Up on Windows Phone 7, as a User and a Developer

#66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And replace their HTML rendering engine with webkit.

Why? They're already close to having IE9 on the phone.

They still have not managed to roll out their first update, containing critical bug fixes.

This does not exactly bode well for IE9 rolling out at all. And then the mobile webkits not only have pretty damn good support for actually displaying pages but have made quite monstrous performance improvements recently.

Re: Why I'm Close to Giving Up on Windows Phone 7, as a User and a Developer

#67
post #18

Is it any better with Android? Here's a list of issues: -- Android resets your phone to factory settings without asking you or even giving a warning if you port a number to it. This deserves a class-action lawsuit. See here: http://androidforums.com/droid-x-support-troubleshooting/131... -- Using the built in email application, sent emails often stuck in the outbox. See here: http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/and…

> Is it any better with Android?

Undeniably. Google may not be fixing these bugs and their communication is definitely less than stellar, but at least they are getting releases and bug fixes out of the door, as well as improvements to the platform. Likewise with iOS, there are bugs & features & long-needed fixes (I'm looking at you, notifications) which still have not been released, but the company is moving forward, fixing bugs (again not necessarily my or your own pet bugs) and adding features.

Re: Why I'm Close to Giving Up on Windows Phone 7, as a User and a Developer

#68
post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? They're already close to having IE9 on the phone.

This IE9? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2326048 edit: I predict severe downvoting once people start arriving at their offices in Redmond...

The standard is constantly in flux and IE has long dev, testing, beta and release candidate cycles because they need to be backward compatible for the sake of companies.

If IE9 implements it, there's a danger of people developing sites that implement workarounds and fixes and will break when the issues are fixed.(i.e back to ie6 days).

For the new features here is the labs version:

http://html5labs.interoperabilitybridges.com/

>edit: I predict severe downvoting once people start arriving at their offices in Redmond..

Is this some kind of joke? Usually if you bash MS and praise Apple/Google you get modded up real high. Say thing that can be construed as mildly positive to MS or midly negative to Apple and you'll not get upvotes or get downvoted. There are HN users who have quit HN for good because of this.

There are HN users who have quit HN in disgust because of this.

If you're getting downvoted for bashing MS, then you must be doing something wrong, like being way off base with your hate or something.

Re: Why I'm Close to Giving Up on Windows Phone 7, as a User and a Developer

#69
post #7

I think this attitude has been the downfall of a lot of developers over the years. You fall in love with the development environment and then you transfer that love to the platform itself. The problem is sometimes great platforms aren't paired with great products. Microsoft is at least two generations behind Google and Apple at this point. Some would argue three generations. I'm a .net developer who loves C# too so I…

But putting a lot of resources into Windows phone 7 at this point is just folly It feels like MS isn't putting enough skin in the game. They shipped the OS in September. Great. That gets you a toe in the door. They should have rev'ed that OS at least as many times as Apple has theirs. Apple has shipped 5 updates to iOS since September. MS -- one (the update to prepare for future updates, so really not even a real upd…

Comparing WP7 to iOS doesn't really make sense in this case. WP7 is, like Android, an OS used by several manufacturers and delivered on several networks. Each manufacturer and carrier has their own acceptance testing scheme. Failure at any step means tweaking and retesting.

It took Android from 2008-09-23 to 2009-04-30 to get to it's first MAJOR update (cupcake, v1.5). MS is pretty much on the same pace. (Note: Android 1.1 was exclusively for the T-Mobile G-1; I don't consider that comparable to the WP7 Nodo update.)

iOS runs on iPhone and iPad, and on a comparably limited number of networks. Yet it took from 2007-06-29 until 2009-06-17 (days shy of 2 years) just to get copy and paste functionality.

The market leader only looks more agile today, after they worked out a ton of bugs. Considering just how well WP7 worked from day one, I think it actually has a very bright future.

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